Kia Telluride Complaints

2,086 consumer complaints on file.

#11699232November 13, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
I am writing to file a complaint regarding my 2023 Kia Telluride (VIN: [insert VIN here]) which has two active safety recalls: 1.SC303 / NHTSA 24V214 – Intermediate shaft/driveshaft may not be fully engaged, causing the vehicle to potentially roll away while in Park. The remedy is available but has not yet been scheduled for my vehicle. 2.SC347 / NHTSA 25V494 – Door belt molding trim may delaminate and detach. Remedy parts are not yet available, and there is currently no fix. Due to these recalls: •No dealerships will accept or buy my vehicle for trade-in or resale. •I am unable to sell the car, which has become a severe financial burden. •I am current on my loan but cannot continue payments indefinitely under these circumstances. I have contacted Kia Consumer Affairs (1-800-333-4542) but have not received a satisfactory resolution. I am requesting the Florida Attorney General’s office to intervene or assist in facilitating: •A buyback or payoff assistance from Kia, or •Other appropriate relief due to the vehicle being unsellable because of open safety recalls with no available remedy. I have attached documentation of the recalls and correspondence with Kia for reference. Please let me know if additional information is needed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699056November 12, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
After 8 months of trips to the shop telling them the engine was bad, and spending thousands to do things it didn’t need trying to get warranty to cover engine, kia finally agreed it had issues. Tore it down and piston rings are bad. There was carbon build up despite regular maintenance and they are telling me warranty won’t replace
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698772November 11, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
After a few months from purchasing (9/2022), I noticed some weird electrical issues occurring. The first thing I noticed was that sometimes the rear wiper blades would turn on automatically when shifting in reverse when the wiper blades were off. I would turn the rear wiper blades on then off repeated times until they finally stayed in off mode. As time went on, then the drivers side window would roll down automatically after starting the vehicle, and it would not shut all the way after pressing the button. I would have to hold the up button when turning the engine off, just so the window would remain completely closed when parked. Sometimes, this would continue for a week or more...then it would go back to normal for a few months. These issues would continue and others started to arise such as the check engine lights, low battery etc. appearing while starting the vehicle. Sometimes it would say that the engine is on, when it wasn't...so I would hear a warning signal when trying to leave the vehicle with my key fob. I would have to press the stop engine button and wait for it to say that the engine is off. This evolved into the car struggling to start...with a repeated clicking noise being heard. All warning and hazard notifications appear on the main screen and the driver's side window rolls down by itself and it takes 5-7 minutes for it to start, but eventually does. This has been going on now for since March of 2024...so it's not a battery issue, or a starter issue...but based on the nature of these malfunctions...it is electrical issues...which can pose a serious safety threat...especially with a potential electrical fire. What are our options for a potential manufacturer recall? As of this writing, it took roughly 20 minutes to start my vehicle, as it is very cold in Rochester, NY. I recently had my vehicle fully serviced (8/25) and it wasn’t acting up at the time so they couldn’t pinpoint any electrical issues. I took videos of the incidents.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698832November 11, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I put the car in park, then turned off the vehicle, and removed my seatbelt. The car then began rolling back on its own. When I hit the break, it did not work to stop or slow the vehicle. Instead, the break hit the floor, and was "floppy". The car then crashed. The vehicle appears to have experienced a "roll-away event" despite being in Park and off. (a term I learned from the prior 2024 Telluride recall, my VIN was not included). • The brake pedal went to the floor and did not stop or slow the vehicle as expected, and felt “floppy” with no normal resistance. • The electronic parking brake / brake actuator did not appear to engage (no sound, no holding force). How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I had removed my seatbelt, so I sustained whiplash and other bodily harm from crashing into our house. Had I stepped out of the car, i could have been pulled underneath it. It also crashed/crushed into our grill which could have caused an explosion. And most importantly, it could have been fatal to my daughters (22 months and 4yr) who usually stand (95% of the time or more) where the car crashed, waiting for me to get out of the car. My dogs also roam the drive way and it could have runover them as well. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I have notified KIA customer support and am waiting their response for further steps. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NO, not yet. (see above) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The brakes have malfunctioned a few times during reversing or driving. The auto stop has engaged itself when there was no danger of hitting anything, and has once stopped in the middle of an intersection, on its own.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11698684November 11, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, STRUCTURE:BODY
2022 Kia Telluride Issues: 1. **Sunroof:** Completely broken. 2. **Exterior Window Moldings:** Fading and discoloration. 3. **Axel Boots:** Need replacement with less than 60,000 miles on the odometer. 4. **Child Lock:** Malfunctioning. -
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698667November 10, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER
The front windshield cracked without any impact. We drove from Arizona to California and nothing hit our windshield or vehicle. We parked our vehicle and a visible spot and can see our vehicle at all times and we walked out and our windshield was cracked down the middle all the way into the driver side. It was not drivable back home to Arizona.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698328November 8, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Oil consumption, I use full synthetic restore and protect . I change oil every 3500 miles .. after every 500 I have to check it and it’s been low have to add 2-3 quarts . Today started acting sluggish checked oil and my oil was low yet again low this is ridiculous. I’ll never own another kia telluride
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698343November 8, 2025
ENGINE
My 2020 Telluride started burning excessive oil at 65,000 miles. When the car runs out of oil, it stalls electrical systems such as the ABS and power steering. My car has run out of oil, including during dealer initiated oil consumption tests, 4 times. One of these times I was stopped on a hill. I rolled into traffic, unable to brake or steer! Kia will not admit to this defect in their engines in spite of the thousands of people who have had issues. The Telluride has the same engine as the Hyundai Palisade. Hyundai produced a service bulletin related to oil consumption issues with this engine. Kia has not. My personal car, most recently, burned through 7 quarts of oil in 2,800 miles!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698338November 8, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle was part of the NHTSA 24V077 recall for faulty valve springs and took into dealership in April 2024 and engine was not replaced as it was listed as ok. Subsequently took for other recalls and maintenance, each time the vehicle was released back. Took vehicle in for oil change in Apr 2025 and stated evidence of noise in rear end, repair records indicate spare tire loose so tightened and given back. Noise was still evident so I tightened and in mid August, noise got worse and could feel while driving. Took in 29 Aug 2025 for oil change and mentioned noise. At this point after 6 or more visits, Kia flagged the vehicle under 24V077 and directed engine change saying unsafe to drive. So they allowed me to drive 30K miles and finally replaced engine which was performing satisfactory. The rear end noise was determined to be rear differential which was replaced, noise remained, techline case opened, shocks changed, noise remained, Field engineer visit scheduled 6 weeks out then canceled with direction to change rear cross member which was changed, noise still there. Now existing case re-opened with request for another engineer to visit. More money spent in rear end repairs which noise started in April 2025, then the cost of engine replacement which has only 65 miles all by dealership. Vehicle at dealership since 29 August 2025. Not confident engine replacement is satisfactory as fuel pump also required replacement and the inability to fix rear end is keeping from checking engine replacement is fixed. Wife no longer feels safe ever driving this vehicle again. Furthermore, Kia put us at risk by failing to direct dealership to change engine in April 2024 and all subsequent visits before finally flagging. My guess is lack of new engines available and did not want me to wait so allowed us to continue to drive extra miles and addl time took out of state Lemon Law timeframe likely. All repair records avail on request. Demanding buyback from Kia of America
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698318November 8, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We traveled from bullhead Arizona to garden Grove California. We didnt hit nothing on the road and we parked our car and have full visibility of it. Nothing touched my new car. When we walked out there was a huge windshield crack right in front of the camera. I had to get a new windshield. This is a well known issue with kia. Is there windshield crack while in the highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697830November 6, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Failed windshield Available for inspection Unexpectedly Cracked across full length of windshield Blocking view of road causes glare There is a 2020 model class action suit and many complaints
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697851November 6, 2025
ENGINE
My 2020 Kia Telluride has undergone three separate oil consumption tests through an authorized Kia dealership. Each test confirmed abnormal oil consumption, yet Kia declined to take corrective action beyond temporary monitoring. The issue has continued to worsen. The engine is now burning oil on the piston, and I am required to check my oil level daily and add oil weekly, even after a fresh oil change. This is not routine maintenance — it is a direct result of a defective engine design that is unable to properly retain or burn oil within acceptable limits. Because the oil burns so quickly, the oil light can appear unexpectedly while driving, creating a dangerous situation if the oil level drops too low. This poses a serious risk of engine seizure or power loss, which could lead to a crash or leave the driver stranded on the road. Manufacturer Response: Kia has acknowledged that the vehicle has a confirmed oil consumption issue but has refused to replace the engine because it is outside of warranty coverage. Instead, the dealership advised me to trade in the vehicle and purchase a new Kia, which is not an acceptable solution. When I questioned this suggestion, I was told that Kia could not guarantee the new vehicle would be free of oil consumption problems because the issue is related to the engine design itself. In other words, Kia is aware of a recurring engine defect but is not providing a remedy for affected vehicles. This is a manufacturer defect that should not be dismissed due to warranty expiration. The repeated documentation of abnormal oil use demonstrates that this problem began long before the warranty period ended. This defect represents a serious safety issue for the following reasons: 1.Risk of engine failure: The Telluride can lose oil rapidly, causing the engine to seize or stall while in motion. 2.Fire hazard: Burning oil within the pistons increases the risk of internal engine fire or smoke. 3.Environmental impact: Constantly burning oil .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697898November 6, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Drivers display panel not working, no vehicle information is available, it's a black screen. This is the 4th incident since new in 2023. Car can't be driven with nothing displayed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697795November 5, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electronic speedometer does not display. Unable to see speed while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697477November 4, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
White paint is chipping on car
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697130November 3, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I activated the windshield wipers and noticed no fluid spraying from the nozzles. Upon checking the washer fluid reservoir under the hood, it was nearly empty despite being refilled just two days prior. There were no visible external spills, but I discovered a significant puddle of washer fluid accumulating behind the front-right wheel well liner, indicating an internal leak. Further inspection (guided by online owner forums reporting the same issue) revealed that the ribbed plastic section of the windshield washer hose—specifically at the connection point near the firewall—had cracked and separated. This hose runs as a single assembly from the reservoir, through the engine bay, to both front and rear nozzles. The crack appears to be a manufacturing defect in the brittle plastic material, which is prone to fracturing under normal temperature fluctuations or minor vibrations, rather than wear from high mileage. The failure eliminates the ability to clear the windshield of rain, bugs, or debris, creating a hazardous blind spot and directly contributing to reduced visibility.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697080November 2, 2025
ENGINE
Excessive oil consumption causing monthly oil changes. No low oil indicator causing engine to rattle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696901November 1, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The engine is consuming oil
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696909November 1, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Oil Pan and gasket leak Oil Control Valve Harness leak The car leaked 5 quarts of oil without any engine or low oil light being illuminated to communicate this engine problem. The dealership identified the above components failed and caused the oil to leak and lead to potential engine damage
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696852October 31, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Fuel gas says empty or low fuel when it’s not. This has happened 5 times in the past 2 years and is occurring more frequently lately. This is a known problem in the Kia forum. Dealer won’t fix without charging diagnostic fee and won’t solve because can’t duplicate the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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